John Watson (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One of the ongoing joys of living in Tasmania is the ability to attend and to enjoy the delightful music presented to Tasmania by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. My wife’s late father, Gordon Mein, was a regular violinist with the Victorian Symphony Orchestra. Tonight I wish to pay tribute to the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra on the occasion of its 60th anniversary.

The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra was established in 1948 as a result of a partnership between the state government, the Hobart and Launceston city councils and the Australian Broadcasting Commission. Since 1923 an amateur orchestra, the Hobart Orchestral Society, had provided concerts for Hobart patrons. In the 1930s the ABC Tasmanian Studio Orchestra was formed and, under conductor Clive Douglas—and I can remember him—it provided live radio broadcasts on Hobart ABC radio station 7ZL.

The outbreak of the war delayed the ABC’s decision to create a permanent orchestra in every state. However, the introduction of a four-concert subscription series by the augmented amateur orchestra in 1946 paved the way for the establishment of a permanent professional orchestra. The Tasmanian Orchestra (Agreement) Act of 1948 made provision for an orchestra of 24 full-time members that could be augmented to 31 players for ‘concerts at popular prices’ and further augmented for the presentation of subscription concerts.

The gala opening concert, a black tie event, took place at the Hobart City Hall, on 25 May 1948 in front of a capacity crowd of 3,000 thrilled patrons. The concert earned critical acclaim and was broadcast live to the mainland. Conducted by Joseph Post and with the Tasmanian-born, world-renowned pianist Eileen Joyce as soloist, the concert proved to be an enormous success. Of course, an event of such magnitude was a prime social event in the southern capital in those days, and it was not at all unusual to wear formal attire back in the 1940s. Further concerts were given in Hobart in that year, as well as in Launceston, Burnie and Devonport. The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra has not looked back ever since and has earned solid support from Tasmanian music lovers in the 60 years since it was established, and it continues to do so to the present day.

While it is never easy to transport and accommodate a symphony orchestra on tour, it was certainly a harder task in the 1940s, when the hotels were basic, the buses were noisy and cold, and the state of the roads was such that travelling took much longer than it does today. In many ways being in an orchestra was a far less glamorous occupation then than some would see it as being in today’s society. From its earliest years the orchestra provided an annual subscription series, concerts ‘at popular prices’ and the ABC Concerto and Vocal Competition Tasmanian final. Youth concerts and free school orchestral concerts were also part of the performances. Subscription concerts were supplemented by summer and spring festivals, light-music festivals and specific-composer festivals. The orchestra was regarded as the pre-eminent cultural identity for the state. Special events within Tasmania were celebrated with concerts by the orchestra, including the Commonwealth Jubilee of 1951 and the Tasmanian Sesquicentenary of 1953.

Building on its roots as a studio orchestra, radio broadcasting became an essential aspect of the orchestra’s profile. It became the first Australian orchestra to have a weekly radio program and from the mid-1960s concerts were broadcast on radio and television. This practice continues today.

Since its inception, the TSO has regularly toured regional Tasmania and over the past 20 years has also played frequently on the mainland, as well as overseas. The orchestra has performed well at the Festival of Perth; the Melbourne International Festival of the Arts; the Australian Festival Theatre, here in Canberra; the Brisbane Biennial; and the Adelaide Festival. In 1979 the orchestra joined the Australian Ballet to undertake a highly successful tour of Greece and also Israel. Since then it has toured many overseas countries as far away as Canada, the United States and Argentina.

The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra has also earned a fine reputation for the quality of its recordings, which appear on the ABC Classics, Hyperion and Chandos labels. These recordings have also included many contemporary works by Australian composers, and the orchestra has been awarded several accolades for its recordings of new music, including the inaugural award for the support of Australian contemporary composition. The orchestra has also continued a strong program of community arts events right around the state, with members participating in teaching, performance and new music activities in addition to their orchestral responsibilities—congratulations to them.

Today the TSO has a full complement of 47 accomplished musicians. Its size makes it an ideal interpreter of music of the classical and early romantic periods. As it celebrates its 60 years of success, the TSO has an enviable record and a reputation as one of the world’s best small orchestras. I repeat that: it is one of the world’s best small orchestras. It is a source of great pride for all Tasmanians. I note that the orchestra is currently working on moving much of its concert work in Launceston from the Princess Theatre to the Albert Hall, where the acoustics are so much better. It is hoped that the grand old Albert Hall can become the new home for the TSO in Launceston, and appropriate upgrading is proposed to allow this facility to be improved so that it offers a better concert hall in which Launceston music lovers can continue to appreciate the quality presentations that this world famous orchestra now offers.

As the orchestra plans its 61st year, I join with my fellow Tasmanians to pay tribute to the foresight of previous decision makers who took the bold step of establishing the TSO back in 1948. I wish every success to those whose present role is to continue this proud heritage. For a state with a population of less than half a million residents, we are indeed blessed with a fine cultural asset in the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. For this to have thrived for the past 60 years is really a testament to those inspired souls who have believed that even a small state can achieve the highest quality when people set their minds to it. As one who has had, over many years, the honour to regularly attend this orchestra’s Launceston concerts and also a number of its concerts in Hobart, I do hope that the TSO will long continue to provide excellent entertainment and strongly support the growth in the appreciation of music by all Australians. I thank the Senate, and I wish the orchestra continued success.